rotavirus vaccine, live, oral (Rotarix). Doctors give infants this vaccine in two doses: at 2 months of age and at 4 months of age.

For the rotavirus vaccine to be effective, infants should receive all doses by 8 months of age. Infants 15 weeks of age or older who have never received the rotavirus vaccine should not start the series.

To reduce the chances of getting travelers’ diarrhea when traveling to developing countries, avoid

drinking tap water

using tap water to make ice, prepare foods or drinks, or brush your teeth

drinking juice or milk or eating milk products that have not been pasteurized—heated to kill harmful microbes—viruses, bacteria, and parasites

eating food from street vendors

eating meat, fish, or shellfish that is raw, undercooked, or not served hot

eating raw vegetables and most raw fruits

You can drink bottled water, soft drinks, and hot drinks such as coffee or tea made with boiling water.

If you are worried about travelers’ diarrhea, talk with your doctor before traveling. Doctors may recommend taking antibiotics before and during a trip to help prevent travelers’ diarrhea. Early treatment with antibiotics can shorten a case of travelers’ diarrhea.

There are no specific treatments/vaccinations to prevent infection with the organisms that commonly cause diarrhoea in Queensland. The most important means of prevention is to ensure that food is properly stored, prepared and cooked and to maintain good hygiene standards.

With any type of diarrhoea it is crucial that:

parents and carers wash their hands thoroughly after changing infants’ nappies, after supervising children at the toilet, after going to the toilet themselves, and before preparing or handling food

children should also wash their hands after going to the toilet and before eating

babies’ bottles should be cleaned and sterilised

meat products should be cooked well and raw meat should not be given to young children

raw meat and chicken should be stored in a covered container at the bottom of the fridge and meat juices should not contaminate other food.